Can opener



Jan. 30, 1934.

M. DAHL 1,945,137

CAN OPENER 1 Filed Feb. 25. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 14/? T/N DIHLATTORNEY Jan. 30, HL CAN OPENER Filed Feb. 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR MflRT/N DHHL,

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ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 30, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to can openers, and it has reference moreparticularly to can openers of that type whereby the top end of a canmay be severed from the can body by a circumferential out about 5 thecan just below the double seam which attaches the end, or closure, ofthe can to the body flange.

The principal object of this invention is to improve upon the abovementioned types of can open- "ers by a novel construction which providesa more easily operated device and also by which it is possible to makequick and easy adjustment of parts whenever such is necessary tocompensate for looseness 'or wear that may result incident to use of thedevice, or to adapt the device for use on cans in which the thickness ofthe seams to which it is applied may vary.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a can opener that iseasily applied and which will automatically maintain its proper positionduring a can opening operation after it has once been clamped onto thecan end flange. Also to provide for its automatic advancement about thecan in accordance with the rotative action of a feed roller -associatedwith the cutter.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a can opener whichdoes not require that it be held in clamped condition on the can by handgripped levers, clamps or other devices, nor does it require the use ofboth hands for manipulation of the can opener.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a can openerincluding a cutting disc which is held in cutting position when thedevice is clamped on the can, by the co-action of a knurled feed rollerand a clamping roller; the latter being rotatably mounted at one end ofa plate having an eccentric pivot attaching it to the lever that isadjustable to vary the spacing between the clamp- -ing and feed rollers,thus to accommodate them for functionally gripping can flanges ofdifferent thicknesses.

Other objects of the invention reside in the various details ofconstruction, in the combination -of parts and in their mode ofoperation, as will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing these objects I have provided improved details ofconstruction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a perspective viewillustrating the application of a can opener, embodied by the presentinvention, to a can for cutting the end therefrom.

' Fig. 2 is a plan view of an opener, showing in fulllines the relativepositions of the lever and clamp plate for applying to the can end, andin dotted lines showing the position of the plate when the parts areclamped to the can flange preparatory to removing the can end.

Fig. 3 is a view lengthwise of the opener and 0 partly in section,illustrating the application of the clamping and feed rollers to thedouble seam of the can and the position at which the cutting disc seversthe can wall below the seam.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail showing the mounting bolt for the clampplate and. the eccentric mounting portion on the bolt which effectsadjustment of the plate.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a can opener of an alternative form ofconstruction. Fig. 6 is a side view of the same. p

Referring more in detail to the drawings- In the preferred form ofconstruction, as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the can openercomprises a hand lever 1 which, at its inner end, 7 has a short stubshaft 2 rotatably mounted therein. On what may be termed the lower endof this shaft there is fixed a knurled or roughened feed roller 3 andimmediately below this is a cutting disc 4 of larger diameter and havinga bevelled cutting edge adapted to sever the can wall when the opener isapplied functionally to the can. At the upper end of the shaft 2 is across member or bar 5 serving as a means whereby the shaft and feedroller may be rotated to advance the cutter about the can, as willpresently be described.

overlying and pivotally mounted on the lever 1 near the shaft 2 is aclamping plate 6,.the outer or swinging end of which is arranged toextend somewhat beyond the end of the lever 1, and this end mounts aclamping roller 7. The roller .7 is freely rotatable and is mounted by apivot bolt 8 extended through the plate and held by a nut 9 and thisroller'is so arranged that it lies in the same plane as the knurledroller 3 and in such 5 relationship thereto that by certain-adjustmentof the plate, the two rollers may be clamped tightly in engagement withopposite side surfaces of the double seam of the can which is to beopened, as will be seen best in Fig. 3,wherein 10 designates the can and10' the double seam which attaches the can end to the body.

The plate 6 is pivotally mounted on the lever by a bolt 11 extendingthrough these parts and it is provided with journals l2 and 13 ofdifferent diameters and eccentric with respect to each other and fittedrevolubly in openings 14 and 15' provided therefor respectively in theplate 6 and lever 1, so that rotative adjustment of the bolt will effecta relative extending or retracting adjustment of the plate on the leverthereby to vary the spacing between the knurled roller 3 and theclamping roller 7 as clamped on the can flange. This rotative movementof the bolt 11 is effected by means of an adjusting lever 17 which, atits inner end, is clamped tightly on the bolt by a nut 18. As seen inFig. 4, the inner end of this lever is disposed between Washers 19 and20 and the washer 20 rests against a shoulder 21 formed on the bolt.When the nut 18 is tightened onto the bolt, the lever 17 will be grippedbetween the washers and thus firmly locked relative to the bolt so thatby moving the lever in one way or the other the bolt will be rotatedaccordingly and thus the eccentrically located journal portions 12 and13 will cause adjustment of the plate and lever to move the clampingroller '7 closer to or farther away from the knurled roller 3. In orderto maintain an adjustment, the clamping lever is upwardly yieldable andis provided at one edge with a prong 23 adapted to seat within any oneof a plurality of 'notches 24 that are formed on the surface of theplate.

Assuming that the device is so constructed it is used as follows:

First, the clamping plate 6 and lever 1 are adjusted by swinging theplate outwardly on its pivotbolt 11 to a position like that shown inFig. 2. This spaces the clamping roller and feed roller sufficientlyapart that the seam 10 of the can to be opened may be received betweenthem. Then, by swinging the lever 1 into alignment with the clamp plate,as to the position shown in Fig. 1, the cutting disc 4 will be pressedthrough the 7 can body just below the flange and the seam will begripped tightly between the feed roller 3 and the clamping roller '7, asseen in Fig. 3. It will be observed by reference to Fig. 2 that theclamp plate is provided with a laterally opening recess '25 at one sideto receive therethrough the shaft 2 and this permits the axial line ofthe shaft and cutting disc topass into line with, but preferably justslightly beyond the dead center line drawn between the bolts 8 and 11,so that the clamping 5 action then has no tendency to cause a release ofthe device, but automatically retains its grip onthe seam.

Then,-after the parts have thus been clamped onto the can flange,rotative movement of the shaft 2 by means of the cross bar 5 in thedirection of the arrow A in Fig. 2, will cause the device to be advancedalong the can seam in the direction of the arrow B, and this advancementof the device causes the disc 4 to form a cut about the can body walljust below the double seam, curling the metal of the body slightlyinward so as to prevent injury later to the user of the can by reason ofany exposed sharp edge.

A feature of this invention resides in the pro- 0 vision of the meansfor adjusting the clamp plate so as to adapt the device to grip ontodouble seams of different thicknesses and also to compensate for wear orlooseness that may result incident to continued use of the device.Therefore, should the device when clamped onto the can flange 10' nothave suflicient grip that it will advance the cutting disc, adjustmentis made by rotative move ment of the lever 1'7 to draw the clampingroller '7 closer to the knurled roller 3 until the desired grippingaction is effected. If the flange is too thick for any certainadjustment, the effective lengthof the plate may be extended byadjustment of the lever in the opposite direction. While I have shownthe eccentric pivot bolt 11 5 as mounting the clamp plate on the lever,'it'iswith a small gear 34 fixed on a shaft 35.

' seam of the can with the feed roller 7a first disapparent that thesame result might be accomplished by reversing the positions of thebolts 8 and 11 so that adjustment for wear and for different thicknessesof seams could be made by changing the position of the clamping rollerrelative to the plate. This is merely optional and one way might beemployed as well as the other.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have illustrated an alternative form of constructionin which there is ahandle or clamping lever 1a and a form of plate 6aoverlying the outer end of the lever 1a and pivotally mounted thereon bya bolt 32 which might be of the same construction as the eccentric pivotbolt 11. This plate 30, along its inner edge is provided with gear teeth33 adapted to mesh At the lower end of the shaft 35 is a knurled feedroller 3a and a cutting disc 40. of larger diameter. Mounted on theinner end of the plate Go by a bolt 11a is a clamping roller 7a adaptedto cooperate with the feed roller 3a in the same manner and for the samepurpose as these correspond-' ing parts in the device of Fig. 1.

In using this device, it is placed upon the end posed against the outerside of the seam and with the cutting disc 4a engaging the can justbelow the seam. Then, the plate 6a is swung into position so that theteeth of gear segment 33- will engage with the gear 34. Then, byrotative movement of the shaft 35, and gear'34, the plate So will beswung inwardly and the clamping rollerbrought against the inside of thecan flange and clamped thereagainst so as to press the cuttingdiscthrough the can wall, as illustrated inFig. 6; 1m

A continued rotative movement of the shaft and gear finally moves thegear segment out of mesh with the gear 34, just as the clamping rollerpasses slightly beyond the dead center line between the pivot bolts 32and shaft 35; It is limited in its closing movement by a stop 38 onplate 6a engaging lever 1a. Then a farther rotation of the shaftadvances the device about the can flange, as in the operation of thepreviously described construction.

Devices of this character are relatively inexpensive. They are easilyapplied and easy to operate after they are applied, there being noholding or gripping required by one hand of theuser while the other handis used to rotate the feed shaft. The device automatically maintains itsgrip on the can flange, and feeds forwardly incident to rotation of theknurled roller. Quick and easy adjustment may bemade at any time bymovement of lever 17 to adapt the device to can flanges of differentthicknessesor to compensate for wear and looseness in the parts.

It is quite readily apparent that various de tails of construction andalterations in shape or dimensions of the parts might be made without 15- departing from the spirit of the invention and for this reason it isnot desired that the claims shall be limited to the details ofconstruction i'llustrated, but that they shall be given aninterpretation commensurate with the scope of the invention disclosed.

. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein anddesire to secure by'Let ters Patent is 1. A can opener comprising a handlevel, a shaft extended revolubly through the lever atone end, aclamping plate having a pivot bolt attach: ing it to the lever at adistance spaced within the point of mounting the said shaft, and havingits free end adapted to extend beyond theend or 150 said lever, aknurled feed roller on said shaft, 2. cutting disc fixed on the shaftcoaxial of and closely adjacent the feed roller, a clamping roll on theswinging end of the clamp plate arranged to coact with the feed roll togrip against opposite sides of a can end flange, means for rotating theshaft to advance the device along the can seam when clamped thereon,said clamping plate mounting bolt having an eccentric journal mountingthe said plate and said bolt having means whereby it may be rotatablyadjusted to thereby effect adjustment of the plate.

2. A can opener comprising a hand lever, a shaft extended revolublythrough the lever at one end, a clamping plate having a pivot boltattaching it to the lever at a distance spaced within the point ofmounting the said shaft, and having its free end adapted to extendbeyond the end of said lever, a knurled feed roller on said shaft, acutting disc fixed on the shaft coaxial of and closely adjacent the feedroller, a clamping roll on the swinging end of the clamp plate arrangedto coact with the feed roll to grip against opposite sides of a can endflange, means for rotating the shaft to advance the device along theseam when clamped thereon, said clamping plate mounting bolt having aneccentric journal mount-' ing the said plate, an adjusting lever fixedto the bolt whereby it may be rotatably adjusted and means for holdingthe adjusting lever at set positions.

3. A can opener comprising a hand lever, a shaft extending revolublythrough the lever at one end, a clamping plate having a pivot boltattaching it to the lever at a spaced distance within the said shaft andhaving its free end adapted to extend beyond the end of the lever, saidplate having a series of notches formed therein radially about the pivotbolt, a knurled feed roller on the shaft, a cutting disc fixed on theshaft coaxially of and closely adjacent the feed roller, a clamping rollon the swinging end of the clamp plate arranged to coact with the feedroll to clamp the device against opposite sides of the can end flange,means for rotating the shaft; said clamping plate mounting bolt havingan eccentric journal mounting said plate, an adjusting lever fixed onthe bolt whereby it may be rotated to adjust the clamping plate; saidlever having a prong for engaging the notches of the plate to retainthem at different positions of adjustment. 1

MARTIN DAI'UJ.

